Samay Raina in trouble: SC summons comic in disability case
What's the story
The Supreme Court of India summoned five influencers, including comedian Samay Raina, over a petition by an NGO on Monday.
The petition, filed by Cure SMA Foundation of India, accuses them of mocking the disabled and those with rare disorders.
The court directed the Mumbai Police Commissioner to serve notices to the individuals to ensure their presence at the next hearing. If they fail to appear, strict action will be taken, the apex court has warned.
Court's stance
Court questioned liberty of speech when a community is insulted
The Supreme Court has condemned the alleged mockery of disabled persons as "damaging" and "demoralizing."
The justices stressed the need for strict corrective and disciplinary measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
They advised senior advocate Aprajita Singh, representing the NGO Cure SMA Foundation of India, to consider "remedial and punitive action within the law."
"Any speech which is meant to demean another community...if there is such kind of liberty we will curtail it," the court added.
Proposed guidelines
Court suggested guidelines for social media content
Further, the bench, of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, suggested framing guidelines for social media content on disabled persons and those with rare disorders.
Raina aside, Vipun Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar aka Sonali Aditya Desai, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar have been summoned.
The NGO pointed out the gap in existing legal frameworks and urged the court to frame guidelines for online content.
The justices have sought AG R Venkataramani's assistance on this PIL.
Court's proceedings
Plea was part of 'IGL' hearing earlier
Notably, the Foundation had initially raised the grievances through an intervention application filed in YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia's case regarding the India's Got Latent controversy.
Apart from listing instances where Raina and others mocked people with diseases and disabilities, the plea also urged SC to "regulate any derogatory, denigrating, ableist, and/or belittling content against persons with disability, their diseases, and their treatment options."
During its April 21 hearing, the court allowed the petition to be heard separately.